1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a display device for decoration, advertising or education, among others, and, more specifically, to an illuminating display device with a light source and a mounting assembly for mounting the display device to a surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Displays are used in a wide variety of applications such as promotions, advertising, decorations, and as signs to communicate information or warnings. Many retail stores employ display signs for decoration or to indicate whether the store is open or closed.
Common display signs carry a message or design imprinted thereon. A display sheet can be mounted within a frame having a light source therein. The front face of the sheet may be lighted by lights located along the periphery of the frame. Alternatively, when using a transparent or translucent sheet, back lighting may also be employed.
The prior art includes display signs that use a frame and a source of light along with a glass or other transparent sheet having an image or other information formed on the sheet; for example, by glass etching, masking, painting and the like. When it is required or desirable to change this type of display, it is necessary to create a new piece of glass. The preparation of a new glass sheet, coupled with shipping precautions due to the frailty of glass, makes such signs very expensive. Furthermore, as these signs increase in size, the practical problems of limited display space and proper display implementation become controlling due to weight and size considerations.
Recently, sign technology has progressed beyond these traditional paper boards or back-lit etched glass boxes. Those in the field have taken advantage of discoveries in material science and in the electronics areas to develop more efficient signs and displays. However, such prior art displays and signs are still lacking in desirable characteristics.
Static cling films are polymeric or other materials that adhere directly to a substrate due to electrostatic interaction between the film and the surface of the substrate. The substrates to which such films cling include glass, plastic and metal, among others. Static cling films adhere to surfaces without the use of adhesives. Therefore, such cling films can readily be removed from the surface and reapplied to the same or a different surface many times.
Cling films are usually highly flexible polymeric films that cling to a variety of surfaces. The ability of the film to stick to a surface without adhesive, coupled with the ability to receive ink:, makes the film a versatile display. Examples of current uses of static films include mounting to the fronts of appliances where advertising helps to explain the various features of the product and retail store windows to indicate a sale or other information.
An advantage of a static cling film is that the cling film can be removed from a substrate without leaving residue. One recent high-volume use of cling films (in particular, vinyl film) has been as oil change reminders. When an oil change is performed, a static cling film sticker is marked with date and mileage information and applied to the upper left-hand corner of the automobile windshield to remind the vehicle's owner when the oil in the vehicle should be changed again. The sticker can be removed easily and replaced with a new sticker.
Many of the cling films which are currently used are poly vinyl chloride (PVC) based films. These materials have found extensive utility because they are highly flexible and inexpensive. The flexibility is achieved by the inclusion of additives such as plasticizers and/or tackifiers. Various thermoplastic elastomers have also been utilized. Commercially available thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) are either block copolymers (e.g., styrenics, copolyesters, polyurethanes and polyamides) or elastomer/thermoplastic compositions such as thermoplastic elastomeric olefins (TEO) and thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPV).
It is known that consumers enjoy placing decorative devices in the windows of their homes, automobiles and places of business. For example, at Christmas people commonly place electric lamps in the shapes of candles on the windowsills of their homes. Such lamps have glass bulbs and are battery powered or have cords that, in the best of circumstances, hang down over the windowsill to an outlet below the candle. Because these lamps are unstable, they are often secured by wire or other fasteners to prevent people or pets from knocking the lamps off the sills, where they can be destroyed or the glass bulb can be shattered, thereby causing a safety hazard.
Although there are many useful displays in the prior art, there is the need for a display device that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.